Monday, January 14, 2002

Relying overwhelmingly on business interests, John Cornyn raised $10.6 million for his attorney general campaign account, a new report found. Large checks of $500 or more accounted for 92 percent of this money ($9.8 million) and more than 97 percent of Cornyn’s big-check money came from businesses or business-aligned ideological PACs. “Attorney General Cornyn thrived on millions of dollars supplied by the very big businesses that he is supposed to police,” said Texans for Public Justice Director Craig McDonald. “One look at Cornyn’s campaign disclosure reports will tell you whose side this attorney general is on.”

Corporate Sponsors Flooded Cornyn’s AG War Chest

Business Interests Pony Up Most of Cornyn’s $10.6 Million

For Immediate Release:

For More Information Contact:

January 14, 2002

Craig McDonald, 512-472-9770

Austin, TX: Relying overwhelmingly on business interests, John Cornyn raised $10.6 million for his attorney general campaign account, a new report found. Large checks of $500 or more accounted for 92 percent of this money ($9.8 million) and more than 97 percent of Cornyn’s big-check money came from businesses or business-aligned ideological PACs. In fact, PACs and individuals associated with anti-consumer tort lobby groups supplied $2.8 million (29 percent) of Cornyn’s big-check money.

“Attorney General Cornyn thrived on millions of dollars supplied by the very big businesses that he is supposed to police,” said Texans for Public Justice Director Craig McDonald. “One look at Cornyn’s campaign disclosure reports will tell you whose side this attorney general is on.”

"Cornyn’s Corporate Sponsors" analyzes contributions to Cornyn’s attorney general campaign account from the time he announced his attorney general candidacy in September 1997 through his most recent disclosure report that goes through June 2001. Cornyn announced his run for the U.S. Senate in August 2001. A Cornyn spokesperson recently said that Cornyn still has $3 million stockpiled in his attorney general account. While federal law bars Cornyn from directly using this money in his Senate campaign, he can give it to a party committee that could spend it in ways that benefit his Senate bid.

Major findings of "Cornyn’s Corporate Sponsors" include:

Of the $10.6 million Cornyn raised between September 1997 through June 2001, $9.7 million (92 percent) came in checks of $500 or more. Ninety-seven percent of these big checks—$9.5 million—came from business interests or business-aligned ideological PACs.

Cornyn’s campaign funds were highly concentrated. The business interests that comprise his top 25 overall sources of money gave him $2.9 million—or 30 percent of his big-check money.

Cornyn received $2.8 million—29 percent of his big-check money—from PACs and individuals associated with Texas’ leading anti-consumer, tort groups: Texans for Lawsuit Reform ($1,985,680) and the Texas Civil Justice League ($828,025).

Led by Enron, Energy & Natural Resources donors were the largest single category of business donors, giving Cornyn $1,976,302. Next came Lawyers & Lobbyists ($1,741,889) and Finance industry donors ($1,115,770).